THE number of Scottish women attending cervical cancer screenings is falling, according to research.

Charity Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust said that of the 1.5 million women eligible for a smear test last year, just 76.6 per cent were actually screened.

The trust - which launched a new smear test awareness campaign on Sunday - said attendance has dropped among all age groups, with screening continuing to fall since 2001-2002 when 86.5 per cent of eligible women attended.

The only exception was in 2009 when celebrity Jade Goody died from the disease, resulting in more women attending for screening.

The charity argued that incidences of cervical cancer could be cut by as much as 21 per cent in a year if 85 per cent of women were screened.

Jo's chief executive Robert Music said: "Cervical cancer is a preventable disease and we cannot afford for screening uptake to keep falling.

"So it is a matter of urgency that we see positive actions to turn around the downward trend in cervical screening uptake and we are urging policy makers and health professionals to increase investment in targeted approaches to tackle barriers to screening for women of every age, ethnicity, location and circumstance."

The #SmearForSmear campaign now hopes to raise awareness of the importance of smear tests, with a particular focus on the trend towards declining attendance as women get older.

Last year in Scotland, screening coverage for 50-54 year olds was 82.1 per cent, down from 89.3 per cent nine years ago. Meanwhile, coverage for 55 to 59-year-olds fell from 86.8 per cent to to 78.7 per cent.

Public Health Minister Maureen Watt said: "The earlier a cancer is detected the easier it is to treat. We know that screening is the best way to detect cervical cancer at its earliest stage.

"It is essential that every woman in Scotland eligible for screening takes up their invitation to attend."